


Dare to Write ficlets

by echoelbo



Category: Persona 1, Persona 2, Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Drabble Collection, F/M, Gen, M/M, This is using the Dare to Write prompts, and other such drabbles bc let's be real I suck at commitments
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2018-08-11 20:21:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7906282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/echoelbo/pseuds/echoelbo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of ficlets based on Dare to Write's prompts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Fate's Fragile Hands

**Author's Note:**

> Tatsuya/Jun, EP-verse, for the prompt In Fate's Fragile Hands

The metal in his hand was cold. Tatsuya ran his fingers along the smooth surface, irritation boiling inside of him.

He looked out the window of the school, the teacher's words not registering in his mind. Him being in class was an improvement - if he wished to be a cop someday, he had to try much harder than he had been - but it seemed old habits were hard to break. He found himself spacing out in class often, staring out the window and stroking his lighter.

The bell rang, and he jolted up in surprise. He put his books away and slung his backpack over his shoulders. The flow of students lead him through the halls and out of the school. He stopped at the bike racks, grabbing the lighter from his pocket and flicking it open and shut.

The metallic click was familiar, but it grated on his nerves, as if it were supposed to sound different. He glared at the lighter, irritated at the effect it had on him. Though despite that, he found himself unwilling to part with the thing.

He sighed, putting the lighter away and heading to his motorcycle. He put his helmet on and turned the motorcycle on. On a whim, he decided to drive around instead of heading straight home. His brother would nag him, surely, but he needed a break from studying.

When he finally stopped driving, he took his helmet off and locked his motorcycle to a bike rack. He had taken himself to Alaya Shrine, a place he found himself wandering to more and more often. He flicked his lighter, ignoring the grating noise it made.

His steps were soft as he entered the shrine, and he quickly realized he wasn't alone. A man was there, one that made Tatsuya's stomach twist for reasons he couldn't understand. He walked next to the man, acknowledging him gently.

The man turned to Tatsuya, seemingly surprised by the sudden company. He stared at Tatsuya, recognition in his eyes. Tatsuya was slightly taken aback by the expression.

"Ah, hello, Suou," he said politely, smiling easily.

Tatsuya stared at him, enamored by the smile. He cleared his throat. "Do I know you?"

The other looked surprised. "You helped save me from a burning blimp. Don't you remember that?"

"A burning blimp?" he asked, incredulous. "Sorry, but I don't remember that." At the hurt expression the man gave him, he felt the need to tack on more. "My memory has been spotty recently, so maybe that's why. What's your name?"

The man looked at him with a curious expression. "My name is Jun Kashihara. You really don't remember? I tried to give you this as thanks, but you wouldn't accept it..."

Jun took a lighter out of his pocket and handed it to Tatsuya. Tatsuya grabbed it gently, having the strange feeling like the lighter would disappear if he didn't handle it correctly. His fingers ran over the engraving on the side, not as worn as he felt they should be but still strangely familiar. He flicked the lighter and marveled at the sound it made, the noise making him feel at ease.

"Maybe..." Tatsuya started, not ready to part with Jun or the lighter, "Maybe we could talk some more? I'd like to hear about the burning blimp story, and about you." He looked up and saw Jun blushing slightly, and Tatsuya startled. A blush crept up on his own face as he realized what he had said, but he pushed it down, trying to look confident. "Maybe even over dinner! Would you like to go to Clair de Lune? I'll pay."

The blush was in full force and his smile was forced. Had he really just asked a stranger out to dinner?

Jun searched his face before smiling, and Tatsuya's heart felt like it was doing flips. "I would love that."


	2. Dance Drabbles

When they danced for the first time, they realized that it wasn’t as awkward as either thought it would be. In fact, it only took moments for the couple to act in perfect sync, Kei leading confidently and Elly following easily. With a trust in each other that neither realized they had, they swept through the dancefloor with ease, entranced eyes following their every movement.

 

* * *

 

When they danced for the second time, Jun had taken the lead. As much as Jun wanted to follow, Tatsuya seemed incapable to leading unless he knew the dance and song well, and they didn’t have the luxury to sit by and learn every song. Tatsuya turned out to be much better at following, however, and while Jun was distracted trying to show Tatsuya the steps, he failed to notice just how perfectly his partner could follow him.

 

* * *

 

When they danced for the third time, it seemed as if Katsuya and Maya had finally gotten it down. They suffered some minor casualties - neither could plead innocent on stepping on the other’s toes, for one – but the more they practiced, the better they understood one another. They moved smoothly and with such great concentration that when Maya tripped and accidentally knocked both of them over, the best she could do was laugh as Katsuya extracted them off the dancefloor, face heated in embarrassment but still happy to see Maya enjoying herself.


	3. Aimless Aus

(Fire Emblem: Awakening au)

"I am the wings of death and destruction."

Maya looked up, clutching the burning wound in her chest, to the boy looming over her. She searched for the Jun she knew, the quiet and sad tactician she had found in the fields, but instead only found a monster.

 

* * *

 

 

(Fire Emblem: Fates au)

The kingdom of Sumaru spent its days hustling along, sparing no time to wander aimlessly through the day. Bandits were always a threat, regardless of how hard the guard cracked down on them, and with a war on their hands, people were more nervous than ever.

It was gloomy and tense day when the crown princess Maya Amano found herself relaxing for the first time in hours. Nighttime was approaching, and she sighed in relief as the meetings finally ended. She stood with all the elegance a princess should have and walked out of the room slowly, feeling the eyes of all the visiting diplomats and nobles on her. Two of her closest guards followed her, opening the door and bowing.

The door closed behind them, and neither Katsuya nor Yukino flinched when Maya let out a loud sigh, flopping against Yukino with a complete lack of grace compared to before.

"Yukki, I'm so tired! Why are there so many meetings?!"

"Because we're at war, My Lady, " she sighed, nudging Maya and continuing towards the princess's chambers. "It's important that we be prepared."

"Prepared for everything, apparently!" she complained, a sudden anger overtaking her. "You'd think I am facing a risk of death by flying fish, at this point!"

"My Lady, you know that isn't--"

"They were trying to discuss the possibility of an arrow flying through my bedroom window and killing me!"

"Wait a moment, Princ--"

"An arrow! Through my window!! My chambers are in the center of the castle, I don't even have win--"

A rough hand covered her mouth, and Maya briefly considered licking it before realizing how attentive her guards had become. She watched as they seemed to listen for something, and then exchanged an uneasy look with one another. Katsuya let go of Maya, but moved slightly closer - Yukino moved closer as well, on Maya's other side.

Maya didn't know how to start the conversation back up - all words died on her tongue, but she assumed that was for the best. Neither of her guards seemed up for conversation anymore, which caused Maya a great deal of unease. They were two friends she could always turn to, which is why she always requested they guard her at every meeting possible.

The slightest sound caught Maya's ear, and she didn't have time to react to it before Katsuya shoved her down. She heard a gut-wrenching tear as she fell, and by the time she had reoriented herself, she twisted around to look behind her and saw three people there instead of the usual two. Katsuya was gripping his chest - Maya could only see his back from her position, but she feared the worst - and Yukino was already on the offensive. The intruder, a sleek young man dressed as most assassins she had met, already had knives sticking out of him in various parts, but she could see him clenching his teeth and biting back the pain.

He glanced at Maya and met her eyes, and she felt ice flood her veins at the sheer clarity of his expression. Yukino took the distraction as a chance to tackle the man, holding a knife to his throat as she pushed him to the ground. He tried to kick her off but Katsuya quickly joined, holding the man down by sheer force that neither of the ninjas there could even dream of. Despite him still struggling, Katsuya and Yukino yelled for guards to come, and it took very little time for people to answer their cry.

Some guards helped Maya up, while others patched up Katsuya or bound up the assassin. Maya watched in absentminded amazement at just how many knives they could find on the man - and she approached him cautiously. He snapped his head up to sneer at her, and she was left in shock at just how young his features looked. A few scars were on his face, and she was certain that there were more under his clothes, but he seemed young nonetheless. Perhaps around sixteen, she thought, before her stomach knotted even worse than before.

Her enemies had sent a kid after her.

And even worse, judging by how he handled pain before and how effectively hidden he had stayed in such a quiet room, he was no stranger to being an assassin.

 

* * *

 

 

(Broken Heart au)

The first time Jun slipped was when Tatsuya was complaining about his homeroom teacher. He wanted to defend the teacher whom he remembered to be kind, and to whom he was indebted.

What he didn't want was for Tatsuya's expression to shift so starkly from irritation to concern. Jun instinctually took a step back at the sudden change. And when Tatsuya asked about when Jun had met Ms. Saeko, Jun made up a flimsy excuse about knowing her from his time at Sevens - he remembered transferring schools often, and he knew that's where Saeko worked (or was it St. Hermelin...?).

Tatsuya didn't seem convinced, but Jun swapped the topic quickly.

\---

The second time Jun slipped was when Lisa had dragged him to a shrine to go stargazing. The shrine had seemed familiar, and he remembered masked children when he saw it. It was one of his first memories of having friends, even if he couldn't remember who those children were.

Lisa had seemed excited that he could recall something, and a look of pride crossed her eyes as she asked him about it. He was happy to share memories with her, and it was a good chance to work through some of his memories.

When he mentioned that he missed his old friends, though, Lisa's expression fell.

\---

The third time Jun slipped up was in the middle of a battle, when the enemy grinned in response to Durga's fire. Its toothy smile shook Jun to his bone, and he backed away, holding his arms defensively in front of him.

It took a confident step towards Jun before suddenly pouncing and swatting him to the side, claws cutting through his arms. Jun yelped as he hit the ground and his body skidded to a stop, and he hissed as the concrete scraped against his skin. He heard concerned yells in the distance, but he couldn't register who they were from - blood rushed through his ears, and he could only hear his own raspy breaths.

He tried to get back up, but a strong paw against his shoulder slammed Jun back on the ground, claws digging into his skin. Jun gasped at the pain, and shut his eyes tight, wishing the monster away.

A warm breath against his neck made Jun shut his eyes tighter, his teeth grating against one another.

"Good try, kid," the beast snickered, and Jun felt tears prickle at the corner of his eyes. He clenched his fists, before relaxing them. He took a deep breath and let it out easily before he felt the warmth start to leave his body. A cold spread through him and his mind went silent as he felt ice embrace his heart. He surrendered himself to it and his body eased as power surged out of his iced heart - and the sound of the monster screaming was the last thing in his mind before everything hardened into a black, an indifference permeating his entire body.

When he came around, he felt a warm hand in his. He opened his eyes groggily and looked directly up, eyes focusing on Maya's. He registered the concern in them, but he couldn't bring himself to care - and instead, he closed his eyes and grasped her hand tighter, enjoying her warmth and failing to notice her tears as he drifted back into an icy sleep.

And when he awoke again, he was under the sheets in Maya's bed, Durga trying her best to warm Jun once more. Maya was still holding his hand and she was sitting near him, her head against his arm as she slept uneasily.

 

* * *

 

 

(Soulmate au)

"But what if--" Tatsuya started, voice heavy. He took a shaky breath, clearly unsure how to word his thoughts. "But what if, there's no one for me? What if the lack of words on me _isn't_ a mistake?"

Katsuya takes a slow drag. He rubs his little brother's back, even as his breaths start hitching from crying. Katsuya doesn't comment on it. He doesn't respond at all - he knows there's someone out there for Tatsuya, a polite and gentle soul whom Katsuya would trade his soul for if it meant he could be with his brother, but he also knows that Tatsuya is right. It isn't a mistake. And he steals a glance to the words on his own arm, thinks about the woman who wouldn't be alive if words had been on Tatsuya instead.

 

* * *

 

 

(ATLA au)

Tatsuya looked around the empty room, coughing as he breathed in dust. He took slow steps in, trying to minimize the noise he was making - which was ineffective, when he could hear his own breathing so well in the silence. He chose instead to walk briskly towards the center of the room, looking around - a door behind him, one in front of him, a window to his right, and a staircase leading up a floor to his left.

Footsteps resounded from the direction he came from, and he ran over to the other door, only to find it stuck. He breathed a curse under his breath - no wonder the building had been sealed off, it was barely in working order anymore. He took a step back and tried to decide if it was worth trying to break it down, but instead opted to make a start for the window.

As he turned around, a figure rounded the other door, and all of Tatsuya tensed before he recognized the figure.

"Brother?" The word was light, almost giddy on his tongue. It had been so long since they had last met, since his brother had helped him and Jun escape the fire nation.

He wouldn't admit it, but he had missed his brother at times.

After a moment of silence, something began feeling off - and before Tatsuya could place the feeling, his brother had already began moving. With one quick kick downwards, a pillar of flames shot toward Tatsuya, bursting in every which direction as it bit at the dust in the room. Tatsuya jumped to the side, scraping his elbow as he landed awkwardly, the flames breathing against his arm before dying to embers. He looked up at his brother, fear now in his eyes. Katsuya's eyes were dull, a calm yet unreadable expression adoring his face.

A chill seized Tatsuya, as those eyes - those cold-blooded, murderous eyes - met his.

"... Brother?"

\---

"So you're saying he got away?"

Katsuya looked directly in his superior's eyes. "Yes, sir."

"And you did everything you could to stop him?"

"Yes, sir."

"How interesting." His superior strolled past him as Katsuya continued looking forward. "You are a soldier, are you not?"

A moment of silence.

"Well? Are you, or are you not?"

"I am, sir."

"And he is an untrained brat, right?"

Katsuya bit back his immediate response. "Yes, sir."

He didn't flinch when he felt a hand grab his shoulder from behind, or as warm breath tickled the side of his neck.

"Then how did he get away?"

Even without looking, Katsuya could sense that the other man was grinning - like a wolf with its teeth at its prey's neck.

 

* * *

 

 

(ATLA au)

Jun skidded to a halt, leaning lightly against a tree as Tatsuya knelt beside him, gasping for air. He looked around uneasily, the sounds of shouts in the distance - if they took any longer, the fire nation guards would catch up to them. But Tatsuya wasn't used to running, he was used to fighting.

Which would be good, if they weren't so severely outnumbered.

Jun unattached a bottle from his belt, distractedly handing it to Tatsuya. Tatsuya took it and drank a large gulp of it before handing it back, still trying to catch his breath. It was times like this that Jun became acutely aware of just how ill-suited Tatsuya was for this sort of life, and something akin to guilt pumped from his heart as he clicked the bottle back on.

 

* * *

 

 

(Jun inherited Tatsuya's persona au)

Jun held his arm, seething as blood soaked through his fingers. He looked up to see Eikichi finishing off the final monster, a grin on his face as Hades crushed the demon into dust. Jun leaned against the wall, his frown in place as he observed Eikichi's forced actions. Eikichi looked back over and smiled energetically at Jun before fear overtook his expression.

"Jun, are you alright?!" he yelled, rushing over to his friend's side. Jun nodded curtly, a clear lie but not something Eikichi could argue with. The other man was lost in thought for a moment before he forced a grin. "Luckily we have some bandages! C'mon, Jun, show me your arm!"

Jun hesitated before letting go of his arm and holding it out. Eikichi rolled up Jun's sleeve, his expression faltering when he saw how deep the cut ran. Jun bit his lip and looked away, fully aware of how little medical equipment their team had. If Maya or Lisa or even Tatsuya had been there, they could use their personas to heal them, but Apollo didn't have access to healing, and Eikichi was already exhausted from summoning Hades so often to defend them. Guilt and pessimism nibbled at Jun's heart, and he felt Apollo's warmth fade as he started feeling lightheaded from blood-loss. Not even the persona could keep Jun going when his body was failing.

Jun leaned his head back, closing his eyes and flinching as Eikichi tightened the bandages. Eikichi talked through the entire process, but Jun ignored him, barely able to hold his anxiety down. He missed his friends, but even more than that, Jun was beginning to feel like dead weight - and if Eikichi didn't have to protect him, perhaps the other man would already be in a safe place.

But simply having that thought caused Apollo to churn in protest, and Jun was certain that Eikichi would not leave him behind. He had suggested it once, and the look of despair in his friend's eyes had made certain he'd never ask again.

Eikichi let go of his arm, and Jun flexed his arm, briefly wondering when Eikichi learned how to wrap bandages so well. He stood back up and followed behind Eikichi, silent as he watched for danger, only hoping that they - or at the least, Eikichi - could make it out of their situation alive.

 

* * *

 

 

(Vampire au)

"So," the girl asked, her friends whispering excitedly behind her, "I heard that there's a vampire attending Cu-- I mean, Kasugayama High."

Eikichi looked around, making brief eye contact with Jun before becoming certain that they were talking to him. He struck a pose.

"There sure is, ladies!"

The girls let out excited squeals, and Eikichi could sense Jun taking a step back.

The girls didn't seem to notice, however. "So does that mean," the girl began again, staring excitedly at Eikichi, "that the vampire... Well, is he hot?!"

Eikichi glanced back at Jun, who regarded the situation with complete coldness.

"Well, ladies, of course he is!" Their excitement seemed to grow, and Eikichi could sense Jun's surprise.

"Though of course," he added, striking a dramatic pose, "he could never be as hot as me! Hooooo!!"

The girls paused, shocked, but Eikichi looked back to see Jun biting back a laugh. Eikichi's grin became more genuine, and he had to refrain from turning to Jun and slapping his back affectionately.

"Oh, so you mean, you..." The girls seemed disappointed, but Eikichi didn't notice.


	4. Toy

"Jun!"

The word echoes through the room. Tatsuya runs to Jun and kneels before the crumpled body.

"Jun?"

With a delay, Jun looks up, eyes unfocused. He stares at Tatsuya for a long while, and when Tatsuya starts wondering if something is deeply wrong (please, let nothing else be wrong, everything has been so wrong in the past few days), Jun speaks.

"Tatsuya...?" The name is quiet, and Tatsuya is almost unsure of whether or not he even heard it right, but it was still enough to flood him with relief. Tatsuya hugs Jun close, reveling in his admittedly-weak warmth, and his heart flutters when he feels Jun hesitantly hugs him back, despite how weak the embrace is and how Jun shakes.

Then something is wrong. A pain blooms in his back, and he pulls away quickly, fear returning to him. A grin is on Jun's face, one that pulls at his mouth like it wants to rip it open further, one that looks familiar yet so eerily wrong. His persona is yelling in his ears, aware of the change as well.

"Did you really think you could save him?" Jun sneers, and Tatsuya is left pale.

""Him"...?" And then it hits him, the yelling of his persona becoming coherent as Jun holds a knife to his own throat.

"Ah-ah," he purrs, metal resting precariously on skin, "You wouldn't want an accident to occur, would you?"

Tatsuya freezes, unsure of what to do. Thoughtlessly, he reaches his hand towards Jun, and violently pulls it back when the knife sinks into his friend's skin in response.

"What do you want," Tatsuya blurts out. The grin widens and Tatsuya feels sick - none of his movements seem natural. It was like watching his friend's limp body get pulled by strings.

"I want you to leave," it says simply, and Tatsuya stares in disbelief.

"I can't!" he yells.

"Then we can cut another deal. I'll trade you one-for-one," he says. When Tatsuya doesn't immediately respond, he adds, "That is to say, I'll leave your friend alone if I am given something of equal value."

Tatsuya stares at the beast for a moment, uncertainty clouding his expression, before he answers. "You want... me, don't you?"

"Of course!" the monster chirps.

"And if I don't...?"

"Makes no difference to me, Though I'm not sure how much longer this body will hold..." The manic expression seems to burn Tatsuya to his core, and he wishes the monster would have stopped there. "He hasn't eaten in a while, nor slept... I fear he won't last much longer like this."

Tatsuya eyes the blade still partially in Jun's neck, careful not to make any sudden movements. Blood trickled down from the wound, startling on Jun's unusually pale skin.

"If I agree," he starts slowly, focusing on the wound and ignoring (avoiding) the expression on Jun's face, "will you leave him be?"

 

* * *

 

When Jun awakens, he feels numb - a throbbing can be felt throughout his body, and he sits up slowly, his vision still blacking out regardless. He holds his head (a pain seeping into it) until his vision comes back.

"Jun!"

The voice is familiar, like it is one he has known his entire life. Someone kneels before him, and he looks up to meet their gaze.

Tatsuya's gaze.

Jun stares at the brown eyes, marveling at how gentle they seemed. The world may be spinning, but the man in front of him feels like an anchor.

"Tatsuya...?"

The eyes become playful in an instant, and Jun's body jolts into high alert a moment too late as a hand grabs his neck, forcing him back onto the ground. He struggles, clawing at the hand, but every moment becomes more agonizing as his body loses its air.

He feels Tatsuya ("That's not Tatsuya," his persona yells, a persona he hasn't heard in ages but he knows is his nonetheless) lean closer, breath on his ear. "Welcome home, love," it whispers, voice too heavy with joy for the situation. Jun is left to wonder what home (he never had a home, only in his friends) as his body starts giving up, his vision long gone from the lack of air.

It feels like he is in a warm ocean, everything around him is black and he feels nothing, before he gets jolted out of his state. His throat draws in air desperately, out of Jun's control, as the hand around his throat loosens, and Jun is left gasping helplessly. His vision returns to him, blurred by tears, and he sees his friend looming over him, a sickeningly warm smile on his face.

He is having a good time, Jun notes dully, his brain not quite back in working order.

Tatsuya sits back up and Jun recoils when he is harshly pulled up as well. He briefly wonders if he could run - he doubts he can get very far in his state, and Tatsuya looks like he was doing much better health-wise.

It would be futile, his brain supplies, and he looks into Tatsuya's eyes again.

"Why him?" Jun asks, gaze unwavering, and Tatsuya's smile grows wider, an expression that is completely foreign on his face.

"Because he is stronger than you," it states simply. It pulls Jun closer and kisses him, and Jun freezes a moment before pushing it back with all his strength. A voice in his head tells him to run (is that... Apollo? so Tatsuya's conscious...), but even talking makes him feel weary.

So he just stares into the monster's eyes, unsure of what he can give to right the situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The kiss is half "Look, he loves you, it's something you could only dream about before" and half "You're still my toy and I won't let you go"


	5. Justice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Four prompts about the Justices giving to loved ones (minus Ken, sorry lad)

37 -  
kiss like a punch

“They started it,” Kei states simply, as if he hadn’t just broken a few bones of delinquent students. He rubs his nose and sneers, blood draining from it steadily.

“That doesn’t mean you...” Brown tries, but pauses. He knows Kei thinks things through, but he never starts physical fights. Getting on people’s bad sides was a habit of his, though. “Look, let’s just put this behind us, okay?”

Kei’s sneer grows and Brown watches, unsure of how to proceed. Pretending he hadn’t watched Kei’s nose get smashed in by an angry classmate was hard enough, but seeing Kei retaliate was something Brown hadn’t expected. “Look, we need to get your nose treated...”

“Those louts are probably in the nurse’s office,” Kei adds pointedly.

“Then we’ll get help elsewhere. Do any of your, uh, ‘servants’...? Can they help you?”

Kei turns away and doesn’t reply for a short time, and Brown wonders if he had said something offensive to the other.

“... my parents will be mad if I come home like this,” he answers lamely, “and the doctors around town wouldn’t hide this from them.”

“Eyes everywhere, huh?” Brown asks, laughing nervously. Kei doesn’t answer.

“... Yamaoka used to clean me up after fights.”

Brown freezes, unnerved. “Oh...” is all he can muster. Kei keeps looking to the side, refusing to meet Brown’s eyes. Brown hesitates before sitting next to Kei and putting a hand on his back, leaning forward to properly look at Kei’s face. “Hey, I’ll go buy a first aid kit. Maybe Reiji can help...? He probably knows a lot more about first aid than I do.”

Kei snorts. “He gets in fights daily! I’d be more concerned if he didn’t know anything about first aid! Though the buffoon probably doesn’t know anything else.”

Brown laughs again, feeling more at ease at Reiji’s expense. Kei turns to look at him and quirks his eyebrow.

Thoughtlessly, Brown pulls Kei into a kiss, startling him. They pull away soon and before Kei can complain, Brown pulls him into a hug and rubs his back.

“I know it’s rough with Yamaoka gone. I love you too, though, so please, let me take care of you.” He rubs circles into Kei’s back and nearly jumps when he feels fists ball at his back. Kei starts shaking and Brown holds him closer, closing his eyes and listening to Kei’s broken sobs.

A wet liquid touches his shoulder and he accepts it as tears before it starts pooling and dripping, and he becomes acutely aware of how wrong his guess was. Panic sets in quickly but Brown tries to force it down as he pulls out his phone.

“I’ll ask Reiji to pick up a first aid kit,” he says, and Kei tries to pull away. “I’ll tell him we’re in class 3-4.”

Kei scoffs. “Even though we’re in 3-1?”

“It’ll give us some time to put ourselves together,” he answers honestly, and Kei nods, leaning back against Brown.

 

 

150 -  
sell my soul

“She will never wake up again.”

The voice comes from behind him and Katsuya turns swiftly, putting himself between the two on the floor and the intruder. He gasps as he sees a mirage of the woman behind him, a perfect copy except for her confident stance and startling red eyes.

She smiles, much less candid than any of Maya’s smiles.

“Who are you?!” Katsuya demands, putting his hand on his gun and drawing it.

“I’m a shadow, the true self.”

“That’s not big sis!” comes a cry behind him, and Katsuya turns to meet the crazed eyes of his brother. His hand is holding Maya’s lifeless one and he’s kneeling beside her. “That’s Nyarlathotep, the god that tormented us on The Other Side!”

A laugh draws his attention back to the clone. She holds her hand to him, crystallized light dancing on her palm.

“This is her ideal energy,” she says. As if sensing the man’s confusion, she continues, “The part of her that drives her forward, her dreams and ambitions and energy.”

“Ideal energy...? Is it related to kegare?”

“It is the opposite of kegare. This is her persona and all of her willpower. She needs it in order to keep living.”

Katsuya tenses. “Give it back,” he says, unsure how she even would.

The mirage smiles at him, a mocking smile that sends a chill through Katsuya, and before he can react, she crushes the crystal in her hand. Tatsuya yells something behind him, but his distress is muted by the laughter of the monster in front of him and the dust falling from its palm.

He regains his senses and reaches for her, tries to grab her tie, but the world shifts around him and he finds himself standing in a floating room instead, surrounded by a sea of flickering lights.

“This is...” he starts, before jolting and turning around. “Tatsuya!” he yells, but the boy had already gone quiet, staring behind Katsuya and gripping Maya’s hand tighter.

Tatsuya’s shaking and pale.

“It seems she has lost her sense of self,” comes a voice to their side, and Katsuya turns to the calm being.

“Philemon, what’s the meaning of this?!” he yells, grabbing Philemon’s shirt and lifting him off the ground.

“She has lost her sense of self,” he repeats. “And without a self, one cannot exist. She will pass away soon.”

Katsuya’s hands grip into the fabric. “Isn’t there anything you can do about it?!”

The being watches him. “I am unable to do anything,” he repeats. “You, however...”

Philemon looks between the brothers and the unconscious woman. “Every person has a self. Without this self, their identity and motivation will crumble until they fade away into shadows.”

“What can I do?” Katsuya asks, and Philemon continues watching him.

“Every person has a self.”

Katsuya grips harder, knuckles becoming white, and he opens his mouth to yell before Tatsuya cuts him off with a quiet, “He means we can give up our own personas to her.”

“Our own...? Won’t we die?” he asks, lessening his grip.

Philemon nods and Katsuya feels another chill run through him.

He puts Philemon down and takes a step back, looking at the two on the floor.

“I’ll do it,” Tatsuya says, hand to his heart.

“No, you won’t!” Katsuya answers, and Tatsuya opens his mouth to protest before Katsuya puts a hand over his mouth. “I won’t let you get hurt. Not on my watch. Never again.”

Tatsuya’s eyes go wide for a moment before Katsuya removes his hand and turns back to Philemon. “Take mine,” he says simply, and Philemon nods. He puts a hand to Katsuya’s chest and a light forms under it, crystallizing and shining bright. His body becomes heavy and his mind foggy, but he continues to watch.

The light shatters and moves into the woman’s body, and her hand twitches. Tatsuya’s snapped out of his stupor by the action and he grips her hand tighter, unsure whether to look at Maya or Katsuya.

“Big sis...?” he asks tentatively, and Maya groans, bringing her hand to her forehead dramatically.

“Five more minutes,” she grumbles, and Katsuya lets out a breathy laugh as he walks over and kneels beside her, refusing to look at his brother.

 

 

135 -  
vantage point

“I don’t know where I belong...”

The voice is uncharacteristically small, and Nanako pauses her piano practice to turn around.

“What’s wrong?” Nanako asks, and Teddie looks at her with vulnerable eyes.

“Ever since I moved in here, I’ve been living in his old room. It was comforting at first, but now the room is filled with my stuff.”

Nanako tilts her head. “Is that bad?”

“I feel like I’m just taking his place. If I make this place ‘mine’, then where will be ‘his’? I don’t want to take his place.”

Nanako hums, watching the boy thoughtfully. She turns back to her piano, playing a few chords in the silent room - a lullaby her mother used to sing, and one she had never forgotten.

“I can show you your place,” she offers, covering the piano and turning back around. He looks up at her with sparkling eyes.

“Really?” he asks, and she smiles and nods.

“Let’s get our shoes on,” she says, and Teddie hops off the couch.

It’s hot outside, a pleasant breeze in the air. Cicadas chirp from the trees as Nanako grabs Teddie’s sleeve and drags him across town.

“There’s only one place I can think of for you,” she says.

“Where’s that?” he asks, and she smiles at him before pulling to a run up a hill.

At the top and out of breath, Nanako pulls Teddie to the railing. She turns around and leans against the rail, gesturing for Teddie to follow her.

“This is my place?” he asks, clearly confused, and she giggles.

“No, silly!” she says and gestures to the town below. His eyes show confusion for a moment before understanding clicks, and tears well up in his eyes.

He hugs her close and she hugs back. “This town is your home,” she says, and he cries louder.

 

 

349 -  
petrifying

“The ship’s collapsing!” comes the voice within his headphones, and Goro grits his teeth, biting back his sarcastic response.

She really doesn’t need to tell them, considering the dust and cracking all around.

“This way!” he yells instead, directing his attention to his partner. The rest of the team is waiting at the dock, safe, and Goro feels a short wave of relief at having his closest friend at his side.

“Got it!” she yells back, following close behind him. He jumps a table and pushes shadows and masked guests aside, refusing to let them slow him.

His mind starts to itch and the scenery around him blurs, as if his third eye is activating on his own, and he forces down images flooding his brain.

Focus on the now, he thinks, gritting his teeth. They approach a door and the fogginess tells him that it’s locked, that they need someone to go to the security room below.

He slows in front of the door enough to push its handle down and throw himself against it.

The metal doesn’t budge and he bites his tongue, trying to force down the buzzing and images. They’re memories, a distant part of him says, but what memories exist from the future?

Goro closes his eyes as tens of echoes pass through his mind, and he doesn’t even need to hear his fortune telling ally to know that the door’s locked, that—

“Someone needs to go to the security room!”

The room stills and Goro opens his eyes to the pitch black around him. He looks up and meets his own gaze.

“Are you going to let her die again?” he asks himself, and Goro stares as he remembers, remembers all those past lives and failures.

“She always dies because of you, you know. In every world she meets you, she dies far too early, leaving her sister to fend for herself.”

“I...”

“You know how this mission ends,” he says, and Goro takes a deep breath as he recalls the iron wall dripping in deep red blood, a broken body pinned against it by a sword as the water rises.

He takes a shallow breath. “I know,” he answers, his voice heavy. He closes his eyes as his reflection turns into a purple butterfly, and when he opens them again, he’s back at the door, unable to proceed.

“Let’s go,” Sae yells, grabbing his arm, but he brushes it off.

“I can run faster,” he says, and she looks at him incredulously. He gives her a reassuring smile, unsure for the first time in his life if it is fake or candid.

She seems just as confused as he is, but she nods. “I’ll wait for you,” she says, drawing her sword and preparing to guard the area.

He shakes his head. “Wait for me with the others,” he orders, then takes off to the security room, running as fast as his legs can go. His limbs protest the strain - climbing was always his forte, not running - but he ignores them, knowing full well that they wouldn’t have much more work to do after this.

He skids to a halt in front of the control panel, already knowing which buttons he needs to press. The doors unlock and water starts pooling around his feet.

He looks at the screen with Sae on it, quietly praying that she won’t wait for him. He grabs his mask and closes his eyes, focusing instead on the presence behind him.

**Author's Note:**

> Tatsuya bought his own lighter in EP and didn't accept the one Jun offered him, for those who didn't know


End file.
